Comfort within the Silence
by psycho chibbi
Summary: Zechs is back on Earth at Preventers after a painful event. There he finds an equally suffering Quatre. A sudden offer brings them closer as they try to lead each other out of an endless depression. Language,yaoi 6x4, past 4xOC and 6x9 *Last chapter up*
1. Where this leads

**Comfort within the Silence**

_by: a psycho chibi named Wendy_

_Disclaimer:_ Do I really have to keep doing this? Would I be writing fanfiction if I owned this? Would you? Didn't think so. _*gets a nasty look from some legal type person* _Fine.. I don't own it. Duh.

_Summary: _Zechs finds himself back on Earth at the Preventers after a painful event. There he finds an equally suffering Quatre. A sudden offer brings the two of them closer as they try to lead each other out of an endless depression.

_Warnings:_ Language, mild shounen-ai/yaoi, angst, mentions of suicide

_Pairings:_ eventual 4+6, past 4xOC

_Author Rant: _Dunno what provoked me into writing this, but I like the results. Set about 3 years after the Barton foundation dealie.

Enjoy~

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Chapter 1

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"They've done a lot to this place..."

Wandering through the newest addition to the Preventer HQ, Zechs was carefully committing every new corridor and room to memory. It had been two years since he had last been in the peace keeping organization. His entire life had been consumed by the Mars terra forming projects, but things changed.

'_Not now.. I came here to get away from that..'_ he thought with a bitter scowl etched into his features.

Depressing memories constantly tried to tear at his mind, but he was doing everything he could to keep them at bay. Thus why he had ventured back to Earth. Perhaps a change of scenery and a completely different job would get him back on a path forward. Anything that would pull him from the stagnant rut that he had fallen head first into.

Just the smell of the new leather and the feel of the soft lining of his recently issued Preventers jacket was enough to settle his frayed nerves. He huddled deeper into the jacket and took a deep breath to hold on to the moment. It was the first step to his much desired change. The first of many, but this time he knew he had to tread carefully.

Too many rash decisions got him into the state he was now. Too many quick choices, not enough thinking. All his life he pounced on the first thing that seemed like it would get him where he wanted to go. His patience worn away to nothing from lack of practice. Now he was left with the result of those hasty decisions. Left alone to come to terms with all the consequences from them. The moment he stepped foot back on the Earth he could only come to a single conclusion.

"I haven't changed... After everything I've done, I'm no closer to finding what I want than I was when I joined Oz." he mumbled to himself for what seemed like the hundredth time.

It was a bit humiliating. To realize that all the pain and everything he sacrificed was all in vain. He may have helped others along the way, but he was still unable to help himself. He couldn't grasp that elusive little bastard called happiness. He couldn't remember the last time he cracked a smile, let alone being happy.

"Dammit.. More depressing thoughts.. I'm so pathetic.." he muttered while mentally kicking himself.

It was seeming close to impossible to keep himself distracted. The moment he let his thoughts wander they would always zero in on what took place a couple of months ago. The thing that set this entire self pity party train into motion.

"No.. I'm not going to think about it.. Dammit.. I need a better distraction.."

He sulked his way past a large pair of doors, but paused when he caught sight of the sign on the wall next to them. "Research library.. This is new. Maybe I can drown myself in some books." He seriously doubted research material would be enough to take his mind off his troubles, but he was willing to try anything before resorting to drinking at some hole in the wall bar. He had marinated in enough booze before he sat out on his journey home.

Another growl left him as he quickly entered the library. On entering he was immediately impressed. Countless books filled towering shelves that lined the walls of the large room. There was a row of computers in the back of the room near the large windows, but the smell of old and new books dominated the space. A few chairs and tables were set up close to the computers in back, but in the center of the large room there were a few plush couches and arm chairs. The added comfort was a bit unexpected, but the thought of curling up on the soft looking couch to get lost in a thick book sounded like bliss to Zechs' over stressed mind.

He was about to start roaming the shelves for anything that caught his interest when something caught his eye. At a large armchair that was facing away from him were stacks upon stacks of books. Some of them looked close to toppling over from how high they were piled.

"Strange.. Who would just leave that many books lying around?" he questioned the silence around him.

Zechs approached the armchair, but as he drew closer he noticed a black jean clad leg draped over one of the round armrests._ 'Someone's in the chair...' _He couldn't really identify the occupant from the leg and the heavy black boot that encased the foot, but a glance towards the other armrest showed him a peek of pale blonde hair. This made him frown slightly. Who at the Preventers had that hair color?

Deciding to find out, Zechs moved around the armchair to get a look.

Sprawled out on the large blue arm chair was a lean young man, perhaps 19, that looked to be fast asleep from the way his eyes were closed and his breathing was slow and deep. His long black clad legs were hooked over one of the arms of the chair while he was using the other for a pillow as he dozed. His right arm hung lifeless at his side over the edge of the seat cushion, and the book he had in his hand was starting to slowly slip out of his grasp.

At first Zechs didn't recognize him, but a closer inspection of the pale sleeping face behind the long tousled bangs triggered a memory. Images of a similar face, a younger face, glaring at him defiantly filled his head. _'Wait.. Is this Quatre?' _The last he had seen the young Arabian, he was on some sort of business trip to view the progress of the Mars terraforming project. That had been almost two years ago. _'Damn.. He's grown up a lot since then.._' Despite the relaxed pose, Zechs could clearly see the sharper angles to the once petite body. Quatre was definitely maturing elegantly, and one glance at the legs hooked over the arms made him guess that the former pilot was close to his own height now.

He hadn't expected to run into the young diplomat here, let alone stumble upon him sleeping in a public area. Although he really couldn't blame the Arabian. He couldn't count how many times he done something similar when he was a small boy. Locking himself in his father's grand library with mountains of books piled around him. It was one of the few good memories he had of his past. Something he desperately wished he could do again.

The fact Quatre could sleep so deeply in such a public place was a bit curious to Zechs. The boy was once an infamous terrorist. Constantly on the run, and avoiding death at every turn. From looking at the way he was resting peacefully, it was hard to imagine that the gentle looking blonde could do harm towards anyone, but Zechs knew better. He had witnessed first hand the brutality that Quatre was capable of in battle. The power and skills that he truly possessed at such a young age.

It was almost surreal to look on at the fit young man in such a relaxed pose and know that he was once one of the notorious gundam pilots that seemed to thwart his every move. _'I wonder if all the gundam pilots can rest this peacefully...' _Zechs mused to himself. He knew that he couldn't.

A pang of jealousy attempted to fester in his mind, but he immediately dismissed it as a pointless waste of time. Quatre wasn't his enemy any longer. In fact he welcomed him with a smile when he returned after his year long absence. Accepted him and led him and the others through the Barton foundation attack. Quatre never held any hostility towards him.

'_Not even when I tried to kill him when I led the White Fang.'_ Back then he knew that Quatre was the only thing that truly stood between him and his victory. Heero was merely a grudge match. His only threat was that cunning mind behind those deceptive innocent eyes. Once he had time to think over everything that he had done, he realized the only mistake that he made was not eliminating the Arabian sooner.

It was a bit ironic. The cause of his downfall was blissfully unaware of his presence. If he was still bent on revenge, it would be so simple to rid himself of the source of his humiliation.

But he barely gave the notion attention before letting it fade away. _'I have no reason to hate him. He was the better of the two of us. He won. Like a chess game. He protected his pieces better than I did. Used them better than I did. No point in hating someone that simply played the game better than I could.'_

His eyes lingered on the sleeping face for a moment longer before a slight frown pulled over his features. _'He looks too peaceful.. I should probably leave him be...' _His gaze drifted down to the book that was slowly slipping from the pale hand. _'I better get that book before it falls..' _He knew all too well what soldiers were capable of when they were suddenly woken, and the sound of a book hitting the floor was bound to startle the blonde.

Zechs quietly approached the sleeping Arabian and bent over to take the book from the pale fingers. His steady hands easily slid the book from the long fingers, but before he could pull away a strong grip clamped over his wrist. Surprised by the bruising force around his wrist, Zechs shot his attention to the narrowed blue eyes that were staring at him. He made no move to pull away from the near painful grasp and met the half dazed glare calmly. "Quatre."

The sound of his voice seemed to confuse the younger blonde, but once the aqua colored eyes blinked a few times they widened with recognition. "Zechs..?" He quickly released his grip on the older man's wrist and struggled slightly to sit up. "I'm sorry.. I didn't mean to grab you like that. You startled me." he apologized while scrubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

Pulling away, Zechs resisted the urge to rub at his faintly throbbing wrist. _'Damn.. Kid's got a killer grip..'_ "No, I should apologize. I didn't mean to disturb you. I was just trying to take the book you had before it fell to the floor."

"Book?" Quatre repeated as he glanced towards the hardback cover that was in Zech's hand. On seeing the title he groaned slightly before leaning heavily against the armrest. "Oh that.. Damn.. I don't even know how long I've been in here.." he muttered in a very tired voice.

Zechs glanced over the title and saw that it was some sort of history text. "If you don't mind my asking, what are you doing in here?"

A weak laugh left the Arabian as he rubbed lightly at the back of his neck. "Avoiding reality."

The answer both perplexed Zechs and made his heart beat a bit harder. "Avoiding reality..?"

"Yeah.." A somber look fell over the young face for a moment before a smile formed over the pale lips. "I see you've joined up again. What brings you back to Earth?"

Seeing that smile again made Zechs relax a bit. He moved to one of the tall book stacks and placed the one in his hand on top. "Trying to make a new reality for myself, I suppose. I wanted a change. Thought I might as well make myself useful while I'm here." He noticed another glint of what appeared to be some sort of sorrow in the blue eyes. "What about yourself? Have you joined?"

"I'm debating. I've been here on a volunteer basis for the past few weeks. I haven't decided if I want to start working full time."

Intrigued, Zechs tilted his head slightly. "I thought you were doing work for your family's company." The moment he said it he noticed the Arabian wince slightly and bow his head. It was enough to cause him concern. "Something wrong?"

Quatre let out a slow breath and shook his head. "Not really. Things.. Didn't pan out with the company. I stepped down a few months ago."

That actually surprised the older blonde. "You stepped down? I never heard anything about it..."

"My family kept it out of the news..." Quatre heaved a sigh and forced himself to stand. "Anyway.. It's good to see you, Zechs. It's been quite a while."

When the Arabian stood, Zechs was a bit bemused when they really were the same height now. "Apparently. Last time I saw you I was still looking down. This is quite the surprise."

Quatre gave another laugh. A stronger and more genuine one. "I know. I shot up like a weed about a year ago. I'm actually taller than everyone else. It's rather funny, really." His attention drifted towards the stacks of books, and he visibly wilted. "Heh.. I don't know why I picked out so many.. I'll never have the time to read them all... Half of them I'm fairly certain I've already read..." he chuckled as he moved towards one of the bigger stacks.

Quatre picked up the book on the top of the pile and flipped through it. A soft smile appeared on his lips as he glanced over all the photos of famous works of art that covered the pages. "You know... Life truly is unfair. So much beauty is out there.. But we never get a chance to enjoy it." He snapped the book closed and looked at the cover for a moment. "Kind of makes you wonder if what we're doing is really so important that we can't find the time to enjoy our own existence..."

The quiet words stirred a strange feeling in the pit of Zechs' chest. He had little time to ponder it when that somber look was back on the Arabian's face. "Quatre?"

Shaking out of some sort of daze, Quatre instantly had an apologetic smile on his tired face. "I'm sorry. Here you've just come back and I'm being all melodramatic." He placed the book back on top of the stack and loaded his arms up with as many as he could carry. "I'll just put these away and then you can have the place to yourself."

"You don't have to leave on my account." Zechs replied, not wanting to chase off the younger blonde.

"No, it's okay. I've spent too much time in here anyway. I should probably go get something to eat. I can't remember if I had breakfast this morning."

The way the Arabian almost seemed to be rambling made a slight frown form over Zechs's brow. From what he could remember Quatre had always been very precise. Well organized, and consciously aware of everything around him. _'He seems so distracted.. Exhausted even..' _When the young blonde was squinting to look at the labels on the book spines Zechs knew he needed some help.

His vision simply wouldn't cooperate. When the letters on the labels refused to come into focus, Quatre felt the stress and tension steadily build up. _'Shit.. I can't even read a damn label..'_ His jaw set rigidly as his fingers gripped tightly at the hardback cover. He knew he was close to losing his composure, but he was startled out of his brooding when a warm hand settled over his shoulder. His head jerked to the side and stared blankly when he saw Zechs standing close behind him. "Z.. Zechs..?"

The fear in the wide eyes was so clear, and it truly surprised the older man. _'What.. What's wrong with him?'_ "Let me help you. You look tired." He gave the Arabian no time to decide when he took the majority of the books from him.

Quatre watched numbly as his one time enemy began placing the books easily back in their rightful places. Before he could blink, the books were gone from his arms, and the older blonde was already half way through the stacks that had been around the armchair. It embarrassed him a bit that he was being so pathetic, so he bowed his head to hide the blush dusting his cheeks. "Thanks... Heh.. Maybe I shouldn't join... I've been pretty useless lately." he muttered while rubbing at the back of his neck.

Although the last part was barely a whisper, Zechs was looking back towards the Arabian in concern. The way he seemed to be drawing into himself was a discouraging sign. "Now that I think about it, I could probably do with something to eat as well. Mind if I tag along with you?" he asked as casually as he could while putting away the books.

The offer was enough to throw Quatre physically off balance. He was able to keep himself from stumbling and placed a confused stare at the other man's back. "Didn't you want to use the library?"

Zechs shook his head and kept his tone neutral. "Not really. I've just been wandering around the new additions to familiarize myself with the different layout. Was just curious at what sort of books they were keeping in here." An uneasy silence replied, so he decided to keep talking. "Is the cafeteria food still as bland as I remember?"

That pulled a weak chuckle from Quatre as he nodded. "Unfortunately. Only the workers that don't care about gnawing on cardboard bother eating there."

"Ah, so Maxwell still hates it then?"

"Of course. He's been known to break into the kitchen and lock the cooks out so he can fix something halfway enjoyable. It usually a full house whenever he can manage it. He's a really good cook."

A bit surprised by that information, Zechs hummed softly as he put away the last book. "That's interesting. I'll have to make a point to be present the next time he commandeers the kitchen." He turned his attention back towards the blonde as an idea struck him. "There's a quiet bistro a few blocks away. If you'd rather not chew on cardboard, we could go there."

The fact the older man seemed to be set on them going together perplexed Quatre, but he couldn't deny he would like the company. A smile returned to his lips as he nodded. "That's sounds good."

"Alright. Let's go."

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The walk to the bistro was comfortably silent. Neither really had an urge to fill the time with idle chat. It was something different for the both of them. No awkward conversation. No random questions to kill the time. No pointless observations. Just a companionable silence that needed no embellishment.

It was nice.

When they reached the bistro the majority of the tables were taken on the inside due to the dinner rush. It was a pleasant enough evening, so the pair opted to sit outside on the patio. It was also quiet despite the constant pedestrian traffic walking along the nearby street. Their waitress was polite, and seemed to flirt with the both of them. It was amusing, but they both paid it no heed. It didn't take long for her to get the hint, but she only seemed to become even more polite towards them. They found it strange, but they made no comment when she left them alone once they ordered.

However there was only so much silence that Quatre could handle. "So have you gotten used to being back on Earth yet? I know it can feel rather strange after spending so much time in space." he commented lightly as he stirred his iced tea with a straw.

"The gravity difference took me a few days to adjust to, but I'm not tripping over my own feet anymore." Zechs answered with a slight smirk at his own expense. "Things have certainly changed around the area. It's a lot more peaceful than I remember."

Quatre nodded and turned his attention to the commuting masses that passed them by. "Everyone at Preventers has been doing a really incredible job. I really don't know what help I could possibly provide over there." He glanced back at his companion and smiled. "Now that you've come back I'm sure things will go even smoother. I really shouldn't waste their time."

The way he was subtly putting himself down made a slight frown form over Zechs' face. "You wouldn't be wasting their time. You're still a brilliant strategist. Those are always valuable in times of war and peace."

"Heh.. I'm flattered, but I'm not quite the brilliant young mind that I used to be." Quatre's hands fiddled absently with the paper ring that had held his silverware together. "As Duo would put it, I've 'lost my mojo'. Nothing I seem to do anymore is worth the paper it's written on. Hell, I can't even play chess anymore without getting my ass handed to me." A sad expression fell over his face as he tried to keep his voice steady. "I'm probably a liability to them. I should really back out now before I get them into trouble."

Zechs was about to protest when he eyes caught sight of the Arabian's pale hands. They were visibly trembling as they fumbled with the paper ring. Something horrible was weighing down on the young man, and it looked as if it was ready to crush him at any moment. "Quatre.."

"So how's Miss Noin?" Quatre suddenly asked, but his head didn't lift.

The name made his chest clench, but Zechs found himself easily brushing away that still fresh pain. Quatre was trying to divert the topic away from himself, but Zechs was still concerned. He decided to answer truthfully. "I honestly don't know. We split up a few months ago. I haven't heard from her since." He silently congratulated himself when his voice stayed calm.

Quatre's head lifted to show a worried frown. "Oh.. I'm sorry. I didn't know..."

Zechs easily held up a hand and waved away the topic. "It's okay... Things.. Just didn't work out."

"I see..." Quatre looked towards his hands and seemed to grimace when he saw how badly they were shaking. A deep sigh left him as he scooted his chair away from the patio table. "I'm sorry, Zechs.. I'm probably not the best company you could have at the moment.. I should probably go.."

When the Arabian suddenly stood up Zechs found himself instantly reacting. "Quatre, wait. Don't go." he quickly called out as his hand gently took hold of the retreating arm.

Stopped by the warm grip, Quatre felt his heart thud against his chest. "I'm not really up for dinner and a chat, Zechs..." he whispered, but made no move to pull away.

"Then it can just be dinner. You don't have to say anything, Quatre." He tightened his grip slightly and kept his gaze steady on the face that refused to meet his gaze. "You said yourself that you were tired and needed to eat something. Just sit and rest."

Quatre felt torn for a moment, but finally met the concerned pale eyes watching him. "I don't want to bore you."

A slight smirk curled Zechs lips. "I prefer quiet company. Sit. Our food should be arriving soon anyway."

Unable to argue with that kind of logic, Quatre let out another sigh and nodded. "Alright. But please let me know if I become too depressing to look at." he added with a weak smile.

Zechs gave a slight chuckle as he finally released the pale arm. "Deal."

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Not a single word was said during dinner, and, to their surprise, they were both perfectly content with that. Eye contact was also kept to a minimum, but the few times they did catch the other's gaze a slight smile was shared between them before they continued eating. When the check came Zechs tried to get to his wallet, but Quatre had passed his debitcard out before he could think to protest. He gave the younger blonde a light glare, but a sweet smile was the only reply he received. Seeing that honest smile was enough to get Zechs to back down.

The waitress seemed to giggle softly at their silent exchange, but said nothing as she retreated to ring up the charges. Her behavior was confusing, but the two blondes still made no comment.

When they finally set out from the bistro Quatre forced himself to speak. "So have you found a place to stay yet?"

"Not really. I've been crashing at the break room in the security level the past few days. I really haven't worked up the will to go hunting for apartments." Zechs admitted as he followed the Arabian down the street.

That information had Quatre frowning slightly. "That doesn't sound too comfortable. What about your things?"

A careless shrug tilted Zechs' broader shoulders. "I don't really have much. Just a few changes of clothes and some books. If I bothered to get an apartment it would have to be a fully furnished one. I'm not about to go out and buy a house load of furniture when all I need is a bed and working plumbing." he concluded while lightly kicking a stick out of his path.

Quatre chuckled and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I understand. From what I understand, Heero lived at HQ too for over a month before Duo finally dragged him out to get him a place."

"Heh. Well, if he could do it, I'm sure I can." Zechs mused aloud.

The fact Zechs was looking at it as a challenge made Quatre laugh. "Well, it was fine for a workaholic like him. It's not exactly productive for anyone that likes their privacy." he pointed out with a knowing lilt to his voice.

"Okay, you've got me there. It is annoying hearing everyone lurking around constantly. I wouldn't mind sleeping in on occasion either." the older blonde admitted. He couldn't really remember the last time he had slept in.

The bright smile returned to Quatre face for a moment, but then an idea struck him. He paused to the side of the sidewalk and pulled his companion with him so the other people walking around them wouldn't run them over. When he had Zech's full attention he rubbed lightly at the back of his neck again. "This may be stupid of me to offer, but I have a spare bedroom at my apartment downtown. If you wanted, you could crash at my place until you found something better."

The offer was highly unexpected, but Zechs frowned as he gave it serious thought. "Are you sure? I wouldn't want to impose."

"It's not imposing if you're invited, Zechs." Quatre chided on a chuckle. "You don't have to make any decision now. It's just an option."

It was one more option than Zechs currently had. And the thought of a real bed instead of a lumpy old couch was very tempting. "How far away is your place from HQ?"

Another smile lit up Quatre's face as he pointed down the street. "Another mile. If you'd like, we could go there now so you can have a look around."

Yet another unexpected offer. This time Zechs shrugged slightly and motioned the Arabian on. "Sure. Lead the way." The way his answer seemed to make Quatre happy pleased him. _'When was the last time I've really made someone else happy..?'_ At the moment Quatre seemed to need that little bit of joy. Zechs was glad he could provide it.

Silence was all that they shared from that point as they made their way down the street. It was strange how they could so easily stand the lack of conversation, but it really was a welcomed change of pace for Zechs. Having to endure endless baiting and complaints about not communicating left him even more against the idiotic formality. Here he felt no pressure. No expectations. It was nice.

'_If it continues like this, maybe I should accept his offer. Not like anyone else is going out of their way to make me feel welcomed.' _True he had yet to really be sociable with the rest of the staff, but he really didn't feel like it. He didn't want to put up with the same irritating questions and having his life's story dragged out of him. The only ones that he really didn't have to concern himself with were the five gundam pilots, Sally Po, and Une. They already knew just about everything. _'But still.. That would mainly be awkward. And they don't know about Noin yet..'_

Zechs glanced back towards the Arabian. Once Quatre knew about the two of them he made no further attempts at prying. The concern was apparent, but Quatre didn't breech the subject again. That's what he needed. A sympathetic ear, but one that knew when to let things be. With the others it was certain to be one extreme or the other. Not that comfortable medium that he had now. _'Seems like that's what Quatre needs as well...'_ He wasn't about to pry into what was causing the younger blonde so much pain, but he was worried. He remembered a passionate kid that was brimming with confidence and determination. What he saw next to him was barely a shadow in an adult form.

"This is my building."

Shaken from his thoughts, Zechs looked at the tall apartment complex. _'We've already walked a mile...?'_ "It looks like a pretty nice place." he commented as he took in the tan brick exterior with beautifully arched windows.

"It is. The landlord is a very nice man. His wife has been trying to teach me how to play croquet in the back garden, but I'm still pretty horrible at it." Quatre mused as he started up the walkway to the large blue wooden door.

Zechs chuckled at the thought of his once brutal enemy learning croquet from an elderly lady. "I'm sure you'll get the hang of it."

"I really doubt that. From what I understand, she likes to cheat." Quatre added while opening the door. He gestured for his companion to enter first, and was soon leading the way towards the elevator at the back of the main hall. Once in the elevator Quatre pressed the button for the top floor.

The elevator was surprisingly fast, making it seem like a few seconds before they arrived at the top floor. When they stepped out, Zechs was a bit baffled when he saw the short hallway ahead of them only had one door. "There's only one apartment up here?"

"Yeah. It's a loft apartment. The place is ridiculously huge. I'll show you." Quatre moved down the short hall and pulled a key from his pocket. Once the door was opened he stepped aside and motioned for the older man to go in.

Zechs stepped into the apartment, and the moment he did he was immediately stunned. Twelve foot ceilings, hardwood floors, crown molding, large windows with built in bench seats, shelves lined with books, and an elegant navy blue furniture set positioned just so in front of an enormous entertainment center. And this was only the livingroom. "Damn.. This place is nice.. But why is it so big?" he questioned as he wandered though the spacious area.

"It was a gift." Quatre answered as he shut the door behind them. "I tried to get something smaller, but my three youngest sisters insisted I take this. Everything is bought and paid for. They made it impossible for me to turn it down."

"I see.." Zechs placed his hands on the high back of a plush armchair and liked how soft the fabric was against his palms. "A bit excessive, but it's quite classy. I like how open it is."

"Yeah, Duo's trying to talk me into throwing a big party up here for Halloween. I'm still not too keen on the idea. I'd hate to disturb the rest of the building." Quatre gestured towards a hallway on the right and started down it. "The spare bedroom is down here. I had argued that there wasn't much point of one, but now I think I may have to thank them for their foresight." he quipped before heading to the first door on the left in the hallway.

Zechs followed, and took a look inside the offered bedroom. Like the rest of the place, it was spacious with a queen sized bed between two tall arched windows. There was also a large dresser and a vanity waiting to be used. He moved into the room and was already picturing himself being very comfortable here. No flash, simply done, and room for anything he might want to add if he decided to. _'A lot better than that lumpy couch.'_

"This is nice." He moved to one of tall windows and glanced out. The vantage point gave him a clear view of the downtown area and the crowds that swarmed the streets. "The view is good too. My last apartment the only view I had was of a brick wall."

Quatre gave a soft laugh and leaned against the door frame. "Duo's old apartment was like that. He actually tried to bribe a few kids into tagging the building next door so he could have something different to look at." When his little story pulled a chuckle from the older blonde, Quatre felt himself relaxing a bit more. "Anyway, this room would be all yours if you decide to crash here. There's only one bathroom, and it's across the hall."

"Only one bathroom? Seems a bit odd for such a large place." Zechs pointed out as he walked back towards the door.

A little smirk formed on Quatre's lips and he stepped into the hallway. "Odd yes, but the bathroom is probably my favorite room in the entire loft." He moved to the door opposite of Zechs' room and opened it wide. "I swear, it's the greatest bathroom ever."

Now intrigued, Zechs crossed the hall and looked inside the opened doorway. "Oh damn..." Black and white tile done in a checkerboard pattern covered the floor of the large space and led to the walls that were done in black and white flower mosaics. On one side there was a black hot tub the looked large enough to fit five comfortably, and on the other there was a white tiled shower that had multiple chromed shower heads and built in bench seats.

A bit stunned, Zechs stepped into the bathroom and could only blink in amazement. "This place is huge.. You could fit twenty people in here..."

"I know. It's ridiculous. The toilet is behind the door past the shower, the floor is heated, and there's a tankless water heater on this floor. So hot water is in the shower instantly, and you don't have to worry about it running out. Duo and Sally make up excuses all the time to come over here to use my shower." Quatre added on a laugh.

"Heh, I don't blame them." Zechs could barely imagine having the luxury of such a grand place to start his morning routine with. "This would certainly beat the showers at HQ... You're making it difficult to pass up such a generous offer, Quatre."

That bright smile was back on the Arabian's lips. "You haven't seen the kitchen yet. All stainless steel appliances, marble counter tops, huge fridge, walk-in pantry, double stacked ovens, professional cooking range, and a kitchen island bar. The quality is obscene. Duo's sworn to commandeer it soon for a party."

Zechs was certain the bemused expression was amusing when the younger blonde began snickering at him. With a slight groan he raised his hands in surrender and bowed his head in defeat. "Okay, you win! This place beats the hell out of the security break room."

Beaming at his victory, Quatre stuffed his hands in his pockets and leaned back against the doorjamb. "That mean you've decided?"

Smirking, Zechs lifted his head and gave the epic bathroom another once over. "Yeah. I'll crash here for now. Now that you've beaten me into submission." he added dryly just to hear the laugh it provoked.

"Fantastic. It'll be nice to actually have another presence around here. So do you need any help bringing your stuff over from HQ?" Quatre asked as he stepped back into the hall.

Readily following his companion back to the livingroom, Zechs shook his head. "Not really. All I have is a duffle bag of clothes and one box of books. I can have it all here in under an hour."

"Okay. Let me know when you'd like to bring your stuff over. I'll get you a set of sheets and pillows for your bed."

Zechs pulled up his sleeve and glanced at his watch. "Actually I could go now. Should be back before sunset."

"That's fine. Hold on..." Quatre reached into his pocket and pulled out a pen and the receipt from their dinner. He quickly scribbled out something on the slip of paper and held it out to the older blonde. "There's my number and the number for the apartment line. Give me a call if you need to. I'll see about getting you a key tomorrow."

Taking the paper, Zechs scanned over the two numbers briefly before placing the paper into his pocket. "Alright. I'll head out now. I shouldn't be gone too long."

Quatre was clearly excited as he moved to open the door for his new roommate. "Great. I'll have your room ready and some coffee made by the time you get back."

The added thought made Zechs smile. "Sounds good." Without another word, Zechs stepped out of the apartment and headed for the elevator. He heard the door close behind him, and let out a short sigh. _'Damn.. I was not expecting this...'_ he mused as he pressed the down button.

He wasn't having any regrets, but things were moving a bit quickly. _'What happened to no more rash decisions? That lasted a long time.'_ he thought sarcastically.

But as he thought over everything that had happened over the past few hours he found his hand reaching up to trace the faint curve that was still on his lips. _'But.. He got me to smile... Laugh even... How long has it been?' _

As the elevator doors opened, Zechs felt his lips twitching upwards again as he stepped inside. _'I'll see where this leads. Maybe we can help each other out of the ruts we appear to be in.'_

Even if he couldn't help himself out of his own, it would be worth it if he could bring the light back into those sea colored eyes.

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TBC

Where will it lead?

This story will be 6 chapters long.

I'll update weekly.

Later~


	2. Happy shower time hustle

Some time has passed.

Enjoy~

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Chapter 2

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"Hm.. Checkmate."

As the black bishop was place in direct line of his king, Zechs frowned and glanced over all the pieces that were set out on the chess board. After a moment of examining how well his king was pinned, Zechs let out a deep sigh and knocked his king over. "I'm beginning to think you're hustling me, Quatre." he grunted while giving a bland stare to the young man seated on the floor at the other side of the glass coffee table.

Quatre tilted his head in confusion at the strange words. "Hustling you?"

A slight smirk curled the older man's lips at the bewildered expression. "Yeah. You told me you couldn't play chess anymore. Here you've just won two games in a row." he reminded with a quirked up brow.

When he realized what his roommate was referring to a slight blush tinted Quatre's cheeks. "Oh that.. I don't know.. The last few people I played against I lost horribly to them.." A tiny smile tugged onto his pale lips. "I was kind of humoring the idea that you were letting me win.."

Zechs chuckled softly and readily shook his head. "I assure you, my ass was handed to me deservedly both games." He leaned back into the plush cushions of the livingroom couch and glanced towards the large windows at the back of the room. "I don't think I've thanked you, Quatre."

Pausing from where he was clearing up the chess pieces, Quatre looked up at the strange reflective expression on his roommate's face. "Thanked me?"

"Yeah." His pale eyes fixed on a bird perched on the sill outside one of the windows. "Out of everyone at Preventers... Hell, everyone I've known.. You have been the most helpful to me. Kind, even." He focused back on the Arabian and was amused by the look of surprise in his eyes. Seeing it made a softer smile form on his face. "I've only been staying here a week, but I've probably never felt more comfortable."

The honest admission made Quatre blink, but his shock was quickly replaced by a beaming smile. "I'm glad, Zechs. I've really enjoyed having you here." Before anything else could be said, Quatre got up from the floor and dusted himself off. "I think I'll go make some tea. Would you like anything?"

Liking how that was the end of the previous conversation, Zechs nodded. "Tea sounds fine. Would you like another game?

That brilliant smile shined again. "Sure. I'll make some sandwiches too."

They barely had time to set their minds to their tasks when there was a knock at the door.

"Q-man! Open up! I need some happy shower time in the awesomest bathroom ever!"

Both blondes stared at the front door for a moment before Zechs let out a soft snort. "Happy shower time?"

Quatre shrugged and approached the door. "My bathroom is awesome."

"This I won't deny." Zechs mused as he continued setting up the chess board.

The moment the door opened, in jumped the exuberant ball of energy that was Duo Maxwell. He had a backpack slung over one shoulder and a broad grin plastered over his face as he practically skipped into the livingroom. "You're awesome, Q! I promise I won't take too long. I just..." Duo's sentence and movement came to a complete stop when he saw the familiar man sitting on his best friend's couch. "Zechs..?"

Zechs looked up from the chess board and regarded the American calmly. "Good afternoon, Duo."

The fact the former WhiteFang leader was here was shocking, but being polite as well? _'What the hell?!'_ Duo's mind yelped as he looked back to his friend's amused features. "Ah.. I.. Didn't know you had company over, Q." he managed to piece together.

Quatre gave a soft hum as he smiled. "Zechs isn't company, Duo. He was looking for a place to stay, so I offered him my spare bedroom. He lives here now."

Seeing the smile seemed to surprise Duo almost as much as the news of the new roommate. He knew he probably looked like a caught fish, so he quickly slapped on another grin. "That's cool. You were saying how this place was way too big for just you." His violet eyes glanced towards the chess board curiously. "Hope I haven't interrupted anything."

"Not at all. I was getting ready to make some tea and sandwiches. Would you like stay after your shower?" Quatre offered as he returned for his course to the swinging kitchen door.

Duo glanced a bit warily towards the older blonde for a moment. "If that's okay with the two of you..."

A low chuckle left Zechs as he shot a near coy look at the braided man. "I don't mind. Far be it from me to deprive you of your happy shower time."

If that hadn't been enough to knock Duo for a loop, he felt his face burn when he heard Quatre choking on his laughter from beyond the kitchen door. He composed himself quickly and shot a nasty glare at the older blonde. "Do not mock the happy shower time, pal." He turned stiffly and headed for the hall grumbling loudly. "Lucky bastard.. It's not fair. He gets the awesomest bathroom ever any time he wants! I feel cheated!"

The moment Duo entered the bathroom he locked the door and quickly moved to the shower. Within seconds he had the showerheads running at full blast, but instead of getting inside he headed for the door that hid the toilet and large double sink from view. Once that door was locked behind him, Duo pulled out his cell phone and pressed one of the speed dials.

Only a few seconds passed before a familiar voice answered. -"Duo? What's up? I thought you just got to Quatre's place."-

Duo let out a sigh and hoisted himself to sit on the counter top next to the sink. "I know, Sal. I'm in the bathroom right now..."

There was a pause as the woman's voice seemed to be relaying the news to someone else in the room. -"Already? I thought you were going to sit down and have a chat with him before that. Like we always do."-

"I was, but something unexpected popped up.."

-"Unexpected?"- Sally repeated in obvious confusion.

Violet eyes focused on his black boots for a moment as he tried to word what he had found. "Sal.. Did you know that Q invited Zechs to live with him?"

There was a stunned silence that filled the line before Sally found her voice. "Zechs is living with him? No, I didn't.. Did any of you?"- she seemed to ask the people that were with her. Duo heard several deep voices all answering in the negative before Sally's returned. "None of us knew. When did that happen?"

"I've got no clue, but it can't have been too long. Zechs has only been back for two weeks." Duo muttered as a frown stole over his face.

-"Well, we were worried about him living in that big place alone... Did Quatre seem okay?"-

A short laugh left the American when he recalled the smile that was gracing his best friend's lips. "He actually seemed better than okay. He was smiling. Not those fake ones he humors us with. I mean really smiling. He even laughed when Zechs was teasing me about my happy shower time line. That old coughing one that he used to do when he didn't want to insult someone."

-"He was laughing..? He hasn't laughed in months..."-

"I know... And they even had the chess board out..." Duo trailed off and chewed lightly on his lower lip before he forced himself to continue. "Sal, he actually seems happy."

-"That's good! That's better than good, it's fantastic!"- Sally laughed in excitement.

But instead of returning the sentiment, Duo found himself frowning deeply. "Yeah.. But Zechs doesn't know what happened."

-"That may be the reason why, Duo. Quatre is looking at the attention we give him as sympathy. Since Zechs doesn't know, Quatre knows that Zechs genuinely wants to spend time with him. Not out of concern, but actual companionship."- Sally explained calmly.

"I get that.. But what about when Zechs does find out?" Duo questioned as his frown deepened. "Having to confess all of that over again might send him back into that depression we've been trying to drag him out of. It's still too fresh for him, Sal."

-"You are right, Duo, but we really shouldn't get involved. Quatre may get defensive if we go behind his back in any way."- Sally insisted, but Duo could hear a few voices behind her agreeing with him.

Duo knew the Arabian better than that. Quatre wouldn't get defensive. He knew that they were doing the best they could to get him through this. _'But Zechs has made actual progress...'_ "I better go take a quick shower. I told Q I wouldn't hold it up for long."

-"Okay, Duo. Give us another call after you leave. Are you going to stay and talk with him?"-

"I might hang around and check out how Q and Zechs interact with one another. I'll give you a call afterwards. Later." He didn't wait for a response as he snapped his phone closed.

Once it was placed back into his jeans pocket., Duo let out a deep breath and slumped back against the mirror behind him. How long had it been since he had seen that honest smile on his friend's face? How hard had he and the others all been working to put it there?

"Zechs shows up, and it's like the sun finally came out in Q's world again..." He wasn't jealous. Far from it. After seeing never ending sorrow on that pale face for months, he was thrilled to see life in those blue eyes again. "But can it last..?"

Deciding not to get ahead of himself, Duo shook his head and made his way back to the shower. It was a wickedly awesome bathroom. He was going to at least enjoy the perk of his random checkup session. "Hm.. Happy shower time."

Back in the living room, Quatre was settling himself back down on the floor after setting out a large tray of tea and sandwiches on the coffee table. "There we are. Duo should be out in a few minutes." he stated while pouring a cup of tea for his companion.

Taking the cup, Zechs nodded in thanks while making his first move on the chess board. "Does he always pop up unannounced like that?"

"Only when he wants to use my shower. Sally always calls ahead though." Quatre answered as he poured himself a cup.

"I see... How often do they come over?" It was a bit odd how startled Duo seemed about his presence, but he wasn't going to be blunt about his suspicions. _'Duo's his best friend. I should probably expect his presence here a lot.' _he silently concluded while taking up one of the sandwiches.

Quatre made his move on the board before answering. "Sally usually stops by on the weekends when she's off duty. Duo pops over randomly. I hope it won't bother you. They're only checking up on me."

Zechs paused in taking a sip of the tea to place a curious look on his companion. "Checking up on you?"

The Arabian nodded as a sad smile fell over his lips. "Yeah.. The shower is just a weak cover. They don't think I'm on to them, but I've known for a while."

Now feeling his concern return, Zechs sat his tea and sandwich on a plate next to the chess board so he could focus on Quatre. "Why would they feel the need to?" he asked in a calm tone. He could already tell it was brushing against whatever was causing his roommate so much pain. If Quatre refused to talk about it, he wouldn't press any further.

The younger blonde hesitated for a moment before he took a deep breath. "It's a long story, Zechs... One I'm not sure I can stand to tell again... They're worried about how I'm coping while being all alone in this huge apartment." He locked his gaze with the pale eyes watching him in obvious concern. Seeing that eased some of the pain that kept gnawing at his heart. His sad smile returned, but he reached across the coffee table and placed his hand over Zechs'. "I meant what I said earlier. Having you here.. It helps. It really does." he whispered softly.

Zechs took hold of the slightly smaller hand before he knew what he was doing. "It helps me as well, Quatre. I won't ask what happened. You don't have to say anything else about it." he stated, gripping firmly to the slender hand in his own.

A grateful expression filled the Arabian's features as he held onto the hand tightly. "I won't ask either."

They shared each other's gaze for a long moment as the trust that was steadily forming between them grew into something a bit more solid. They truly were comfortable in each other's presence. No more words were needed to express how they each were feeling at that moment. So after sharing a slight smile, they turned their attention back to their game.

After a quick shower and change into a new set of clothes, Duo exited the bathroom towel drying his still damp locks. He wandering back into the living room to see Zechs glaring at the chess board while Quatre had a broad grin on his face. "Hey. What'd I miss?" he asked casually while trying to get a grasp on this new situation.

Zechs grumbled a few things under his breath before having to knock over his king yet again. "I'm being hustled. That's what's going on." he grunted while glaring at the grinning Arabian.

Quatre laughed and rubbed at the back of his neck. "I swear I'm not! Ask Duo! I couldn't play to save my life a few weeks ago." He glanced back at he best friend for some assistance. "Tell him, Duo."

A bit surprised at being put on the spot, Duo found himself chuckling as he sat down in the armchair next to them. "He's telling the truth. His skills were seriously lacking for a while." One glance at the chess board had Duo grinning at his best friend. "Looks like your mojo's coming back, Q."

Pale blue eyes rolled sarcastically as he flopped back into the cushions. "That's convenient." He lightly nudged the chess board with his sock clad foot towards where the American sat. "Here. You play him. Then we can figure out if he's getting better, or if I'm seriously sucking right now." he muttered dryly.

The offer was sudden, but one look at his friend's happy face had Duo smiling eagerly. "I'm game if you are, Q."

The younger blonde readily nodded. "I'll pour you some tea while you set up the board."

"Sweet. Deal."

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TBC

Work that mojo.

Later~


	3. Now that he knows

More time has passed.

Enjoy~

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Chapter 3

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"Checkmate."

Staring blankly at the chessboard in front of him, Wufei let out a deep groan as he covered his face with his hand. "Ye gods, Quatre... You didn't even give me a sporting chance."

Quatre smiled sheepishly as he rubbed at the back of his neck. "Sorry, Wufei.. I really didn't think you'd go for the bishop I moved as a decoy. Are you sure all of you aren't letting me win?" he questioned while glancing around at the 6 familiar faces that were around the research library table with him.

"Quatre, you've won the past 7 games in a row. All of us have been trying to beat you since you sat down." Trowa pointed out with the slightest smile curling his lips.

The lively glow that was around his former partner was something he had dearly missed. From the way everyone else around the table seemed to be smiling, it was apparent that he wasn't the only one. He glanced towards the older blonde standing to Quatre's right, and couldn't help the downward twitch of his brow. _'I wonder what Zechs has offered that the rest of us couldn't...'_

Duo grinned and playfully jabbed the Chinese man in the side. "You gonna demand another rematch, Wu?" he jeered while giving a sly wink towards Quatre.

Wufei seemed to balk at the idea, and slowly pushed the chessboard away from him. "Are you kidding? There's only so much bashing my ego can take. You don't persist to pick a fight with someone that's blatantly superior. That's just idiotic to the utmost degree." he snorted.

"Aww. Wufei's ego got dented." Sally chuckled, enjoying the faint blush that colored Wufei's dark cheeks. She was about to go on when she heard the chime her phone gave whenever she got a text message. After quickly pulling it from her Preventers jacket pocket, she glanced over the message. "Hm.. Une wants to have a word with Quatre. Something about getting his opinion on a new situation that's popped up."

Quatre blinked at the sudden information only to frown in concern. "Is it a serious matter?"

Sally could only shrug. "It doesn't say. Come on, I need to get back to my office anyway. I'll walk with you."

When his old comrades grew strangely silent, Quatre knew something was off. From the corner of his eye he could easily see the suspicion that narrowed Zechs' eyes as well. _'They're going to confront him..'_ He knew it would happen eventually once he started spending time with his former enemy.

When the scenario originally occurred to him he thought he would be a bundle of nerves. Now as he stood from the table he felt strangely calm. _'I trust Zechs. Things won't change.'_ He glanced back towards his roommate and gave a smile. "I'll be meeting with an old business associate this evening, so you'll probably have the apartment to yourself. Knowing her, she'll be talking my ear off well into the night."

Zechs nodded and glanced at his watch. "Alright. I'll see you in the morning."

Quatre simply smiled once more before turning to follow Sally out the library door.

Sally tried to be subtle about closing the door behind her, but Zechs took full notice of it. He looked at it when it clicked shut, then focused on the four pairs of eyes watching him. "Well, you finally did it. Now what?"

Heero's eyes narrowed slightly at the strange tone. "What did we finally do?"

The question had Zechs pinching the bridge of his nose and letting out a deep breath. "Please don't patronize me. Ever since you discovered I was staying at Quatre's apartment you've made numerous attempts to corner me." He lowered his hand and placed a weary glare on all of them. "Just say whatever it is that's clearly displeased you about this so we can move on."

"Displeased us?" Wufei repeated on a snort. "You've got this completely wrong, Zechs."

A pale brow lofted high. "Do I?"

Duo gave a laugh and plopped down into one of the chairs at the table. "We're not displeased. We're fuckin thrilled. We couldn't be happier right now."

Zechs narrowed his eyes for a moment before he held his chin in thought. "Yeah.. I'm not really getting that from the way the four of you are looking at me right now. Mind explaining?"

The sarcastic tone went unnoticed as Heero and Trowa took a seat at the table as well. "Please sit, Zechs. There are a few things we need to discuss." Trowa stated quietly.

He felt heavy weight in the pit of his stomach as his suspicion grew, but Zechs remained standing. "I make it a point not to discuss personal matters without the subject's consent." he said with a disapproving frown.

"So you know what we want to talk about?" Heero questioned slowly.

A shrug tilted Zechs' shoulders. "I don't have a clue. I don't ask any questions of a personal nature. Quatre returns that courtesy."

"Wait.. So you haven't discussed anything personal at all?" Duo asked, a bit surprised.

The blonde head shook. "We rarely speak at all. We only discuss things that we know are of direct interest. Other than that, we don't say a word to one another." Zechs informed them sedately. It took a bit of effort not to show amusement towards their shocked reactions.

"Then.. How did you cheer him up so drastically?" Wufei asked, clearly confused.

Zechs bit back the urge to tell them it was none of their business, but he could tell how worried all of them were for the Arabian. "Nothing. I have no idea what is provoking his pain, but Quatre isn't a child. He doesn't need to be coddled or constantly monitored." He immediately noticed their alarm, and it only made his annoyance with them flare up slightly. "Yes, he knows. He has for some time now. I'm personally surprised he can put up with the weak excuses you give him for it." He saw that Duo was about to protest, but he quickly held up his hand to silence him. "I understand you're concerned for him, but you need to quit being so cautious around him."

His words seemed to sober all of them, and only convinced them further that he had to know. "So you have no intentions of asking him what happened?" Trowa asked once more.

"None."

The strong reply was all they needed. "Still, in order for you to understand why we're acting with such caution around him, we need to explain what happened, Zechs. It's too fresh for Quatre to bare repeating it." Heero started with a determined gleam in his eyes.

'_Dammit.. Why are they forcing this on me?' _Zechs wondered in frustration. "I don't have to understand anything. You said it yourselves that he's cheered up drastically."

"Yes, but he's no where near recovered from the incident." Wufei cut in. "It wouldn't take much to send him back into a spiraling depression. From what his youngest sisters told us, he almost didn't survive the last time."

That news made Zechs' heart clench tightly. "You mean he was suicidal?"

"He almost succeeded." Duo felt his eyes sting as he locked his gaze on the table. "His sisters found him after he downed half a bottle of whisky and fist full of pain meds. Nearly slipped into a coma, but they got him to a doctor in time."

"So you see, it's in Quatre's best interests that you do know." Trowa continued. "Since you live with him now, you'd be able to readily help him should he start slipping down that path again."

He didn't want to. Every shred of his mind was screaming at him to respect Quatre's wishes, but a different part of him silenced it. Suddenly Zechs found himself sitting down at the table, and he bowed his in what felt like defeat. "Fine... If it's that imperative to his well being."

It was like an epic victory for the four of them, but none of them pulled out of their grim stances. Duo was the one they had agreed with relay the story, so the others kept quiet as the American began. "A year and a half ago, Quatre met a guy. His name was Davin. He was really great. Kind, brilliant, and funny as hell. They had met at the theater when they wound up seated next to each other. A month later Q comes out and tells everyone that they're together. They were really in love too. I had never seen Q happier than when he was around Davin."

Zechs' eyes narrowed, but he couldn't stop the way his heart was suddenly beating faster. "You keep talking in the past tense..." he muttered, knowing that tragedy was looming in the American's words.

Duo looked away for a moment to gather himself. He took a deep breath and forced himself to continue. "For over a year they were inseparable... But Q never allowed the relationship to interfere with his work. Davin knew this, and totally supported him.." He trailed off for a moment as a pained expression fell over his face. "However the majority of Quatre's sisters didn't approve of their relationship."

This made Zechs' frown deepen. "What do you mean?"

"Twelve of Quatre's sisters are the main shareholders of their family's company. Each one of them is a self righteous bigot. They hated Davin with a passion because they thought he was corrupting Quatre." Wufei explained with an angry scowl.

"They refused to admit that their brother was gay. They blamed it all on Davin. So they concocted this elaborate scheme to get Davin to leave Quatre." Trowa said, his own muted expression turning grim.

"Scheme..?" Zechs repeated slowly.

Heero nodded and locked his own gaze on the table. "They used a sophisticated sound program and took sound bites from various speeches and interviews Quatre has given in order to compile an exact match to his voice. They then called Davin and used the program of Quatre's voice to talk to him."

"None of us knows what they said to Davin..." Duo picked up. "The only thing we were told was that Davin was hit by a car after he walked out of bar close to his home. The collision broke his neck, so he was gone in an instant. The driver said that Davin willingly jumped in front of the car. Autopsy showed his blood alcohol level was through the roof..." He suddenly had to stop and bite hard at his knuckles to stop the tears that wanted to form.

Zechs blinked in alarm as he tried to process all of this. "He killed himself..." he whispered. Suddenly the pain lingering in Quatre's eyes made sense. "But.. Were his sister's charged? That's got to be considered manslaughter and premeditated assault."

Wufei shook his head and placed his hand on Duo's trembling shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. "We have no proof. It was a fluke that Heero found the program when we did an independent investigation for Quatre. It was instantly erased the moment he was discovered in the company system." His head bowed when he thought of how all their efforts were in vain. "They literally got away with murder. The only thing Quatre could do was disown himself. He's refused to set foot on L-4 again. A very few of his sisters are doing what they can to help Quatre, but their efforts are constantly being thwarted by the ones that caused this. He's dead to them, so they're trying their damnedest to ensure he sees none of the family fortune." he concluded solemnly.

When a silence settled over them, Zechs wasn't sure what to think. What they had just explained was beyond cruel. It was evil. To think that Quatre's own family would put him through such torture and get away with it made him angry. Angrier than he had been a very long time. However anger wasn't going to mend the hole torn through Quatre's heart. _'Quatre's gotten better because I'm calm around him... Because I don't treat him differently..' _He took a deep breath and raked his hands through his hair as he tried to defuse the rage that he used to be prone to.

Once he settled himself, he slowly let out the breath he had been holding and placed his focus on the grain patterns of the table top. "Is that why his youngest sisters insisted giving him that large apartment? So if he decided to leave he could sell it and keep the money to live off of?"

The four ex pilots were all stunned and impressed at how the former White Fang leader was able to calm himself. They had expected an all out fury to erupt from him, but it was clear the older blonde was going to keep himself composed for Quatre's sake. This encouraged all of them.

"That's about it. They were able to set him up with an account that he could live comfortably on for the next few years, but that's all they could do for him. Quatre hasn't had contact with any of them since he moved in three months ago. He's kept himself isolated from just about everyone." Heero stated while trying to gauge his former rival's reaction. He didn't want to place all his hopes on Zechs, but the results were obvious. Quatre was comfortable around him. _'So strange.. He's nothing like Davin.. I wonder why Quatre has taken to him so strongly..'_

"I see.." Another short silence hovered over them before Zechs suddenly stood from the table. "I appreciate you explaining things to me." he stated before turning away and heading for the door.

"Zechs? Where are you going?" Duo asked quickly as he stood from the table as well.

Zechs didn't pause in his course or look back. "I'm going to spend some time in the gym so I won't punch a wall." With that the door to the library opened and he was gone.

The fact the blonde man closed the door quietly instead of slamming it was a surprise to all of them.

Duo stared at the door for a moment longer, then all but collapsed back into his chair. He folded his arms on the table and buried his face into them as he let out a long shuddering breath. "Well.. He took that better than I thought he would." he muttered loudly, voice muffled by his arms.

"Indeed. Hopefully Zechs will be able to help Quatre move on now that he knows." Trowa whispered, placing his hand on Duo's shoulder like Wufei had to calm him.

"Yeah... Hopefully."

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TBC

Sometimes hope is all it takes.

Later~


	4. If you do

Time is all we have.

Enjoy~

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Chapter 4

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He wasn't sure what stirred him from his sleep, but the first thing Zechs noticed was the sound of rain hitting the windows that flanked his bed.

His eyes slowly opened to catch a brief flash of light that lit up his room.

'_A storm..?'_

The low rumbling that followed the flash confirmed his half coherent guess. He was tempted to roll over and sleep through it, but after a louder clap of thunder shook the building his thoughts focused on one point. _'Is Quatre still out in this weather..?' _He recalled that the Arabian was meeting with an associate for the evening, but Quatre sounded like he would return despite the late hour.

Concern gripped hold of him and drug him out of bed before he could fully wake himself. The hardwood floor was cold beneath his bare feet, but it only helped to stir his senses into a more alert state. He quietly stepped out of his room clad only in the black cotton boxers he went to bed in.

It was pitch black in the hallway, which immediately seemed off. Quatre got him into the habit of leaving one lamp on in the livingroom so they wouldn't stumble in the dark if they needed anything in the kitchen. _'Is the power out..?'_ From the sound of the rain pelting hard against the glass echoing from the livingroom, the idea seemed very likely.

Deciding to check on things, Zechs carefully moved towards the livingroom. He kept one hand against the wall to guide him until his eyes adjusted to the darkness, which luckily happened once he entered the livingroom. He was going to go straight for the lamp they left on, but he stopped when he caught sight of a figure standing in front of the large windows in the back of the room. For a moment his reflexes to apprehend the intruder were going to take over, but he stopped himself when another flash of lightning chased away the dark. On seeing the light reflect off pale wet hair he immediately relaxed. _'He must have gotten caught in the rain..'_

Not wanting his companion to catch a cold from soggy clothes, Zechs moved to the bathroom. An experimental flick of the light switch told him that the power was indeed out, but he knew the large space well enough to navigate to the closet without incident. Once he had one of the large soft towels in hand he made his way back to the livingroom.

As he drew near the unmoving figure, Zechs wasn't sure if his concern should be rising or not. He could clearly see his own reflection in the glass of the window Quatre stood in front of, but the younger blonde made no move of acknowledgment. Quatre seemed to be engrossed with watching the storm raging outside the double pane glass. Deciding to not question it, Zechs moved behind the Arabian and draped the towel around the faintly shivering shoulders. "You shouldn't stay in those wet clothes." he whispered.

Quatre's hands reached up and lightly fisted in the soft terrycloth. "I know. I just like watching it rain." he replied, not taking his eyes off the drops that endlessly rolled down the other side of the window.

Zechs glanced towards the outside world, and took note of the way the entire downtown area seemed to be blacked out. "Do you know when the power cut out?"

"About ten minutes ago. I was walking home when it blinked out."

Thinking of Quatre having to walk home in the middle of the night during a storm bothered him somewhat. But the storm wasn't called for on any of the weather reports, so it wasn't as if Quatre purposely neglected to take a coat. "Did your talk go well?"

The wet head nodded. "Yes. Very productive. I remembered that I made some personal investments in a few companies here on Earth shortly after the war. They have no ties to Winner enterprises, so I have no legal obligation to report them." he stated in a soft, yet pleased tone.

Which encouraged Zechs. "That sounds promising."

A hum left the younger blonde, and Zechs could see a small smile reflected in the glass. "Better than I even imagined. My luck seems to be changing."

"That's good, but luck isn't going to get you out of those wet clothes. Come on. You're dripping all over the floor." Zechs chided while turning the soggy blonde to face him.

Quatre chuckled and watched in amusement as Zechs unbuttoned his drenched red shirt. "It's my floor. I can drip on it if I want to."

Peeling off the clingy red cotton, Zechs gave a bland glare. "Fine, but I don't want to catch a cold from you." He tossed the shirt onto the bench seat built into the window frame and knelt down on the floor. His hands were tugging a the laces of Quatre's boots before the Arabian could ask him what he was doing.

When Quatre realized that the older blonde was literally stripping him down he felt a blush tint his cheeks. He silently thanked for the power outage and lifted his feet one at a time for his boots and socks to be removed. The fact that Zechs was barely wearing anything at all made his blush flare up a bit more, but he used all of his self control to bludgeon the thoughts that were trying to fill his head. He kept his eyes locked on the raindrops on the window when the warm hands were pulling loose the black belt that kept his now uncomfortable jeans on his slim hips.

Zechs was a bit surprised that Quatre made no move to stop him, but he was even more surprised that his hands kept moving. They didn't hesitate to pop open the button and pull down the zipper to the soaked jeans. Nor did they linger any longer than necessary as they pulled the thick material off the slender legs. His mind did linger on how well sculpted the Arabian's body really was. He was tempted to trace his fingers along the graceful curves of his legs as the pale skin was revealed to him. His eyes also lingered on the various scars that marred the otherwise flawless skin.

Two in particular caught his attention. One was clearly a bullet wound on his left shoulder, and in almost a direct line straight down there was another round scar above the waist band of his blue plaid boxers. His eyes glanced between the two of them as he stood up and tossed the jeans on top of the shirt on the window bench. He wasn't going to ask, but he couldn't stop his hand from reaching out and lightly tracing the scar above the left hip with his thumb.

Quatre had to bite back a gasp at the sudden contact. The scar had always been rather tender since it healed, but something about the way it was touched made chills run through his spine. How long had it been since he experienced any sort of physical contact? Any sort of closeness? _'Davin...' _The name nearly escaped his lips, but he bit the inside of his cheek hard to stop himself.

The way the body flinched slightly after his touch made Zechs worry that he may have caused the younger man pain. But the shuddering breath coupled with the clenched fists at Quatre's sides told him that it was something else. _'He's.. Holding back..'_ One look at the eyes that were cast to the side told him that Quatre was being affected by this. How was a question he was hesitant to have the answer to.

He pulled his hands away from the trembling body and moved back to the towel about to slip off the pale shoulders. He took hold of it and brought it up to place over the dripping short locks. There he gently started to dry the pale hair. He could see the pain that still lingered in the aqua colored eyes, and he immediately thought of what caused it. "They told me." he stated quietly.

Quatre knew what the older blonde was referring to, and closed his eyes to hold back the pain he was certain could be seen there. "I figured they would eventually." he answered on barely a whisper.

The news didn't seem to upset him to any great degree, so Zechs continued to towel dry Quatre's hair. After a few minutes with only the rustling of the towel to break up the silence, Zechs draped the towel back around the slender shoulders and wrapped it around them like a cloak. He then gently turned Quatre back towards the window he had been watching, and gathered up the wet clothes on the bench.

The blue eyes stayed closed during all of this. He could still feel the warmth of the older man's presence even when he walked across the room. The sound of the squeaky hinge of the swinging kitchen door alerted him that Zechs was probably going to deposit his clothes in the laundry room that was in the far corner of the apartment.

Even though he knew he wasn't alone, he felt himself suddenly wanting that closeness back. The feel of another warm body. He had been locked so tight in his pain riddled depression that he never realized just how cold he really felt. But he didn't want just any warm body.

"Zechs..."

He was worried that maybe it was simply because the older blonde was here, but that thought was instantly tossed aside.

Zechs was the one that was making him feel human again. Helping him pull himself back together. The fact that he wasn't being treated like some poor invalid now that the truth was out made him feel like maybe he could get over this. No questions about how he felt. No idiotic reassurances that everything will be okay. No pointless apologies. No shoving his head into that moment over and over.

Just comfortable silence.

This was what he needed to heal. Knowing that someone was there for him without needing it voiced. Knowing that someone was looking out for him while letting him set his own pace. Knowing that someone was waiting for him while he found his way out of that dark maze that settled over his soul.

'_Zechs is who I need...'_

The moment his mind came to that conclusion a strong scent wafted up to his nose. His eyes snapped open on the familiar smell of alcohol, and he was greeted by a glass tumbler filled half full with a dark liquid. "Bourbon?"

"Fastest way to warm you up." Zechs replied while holding out the glass and taking a sip from the tumbler in his other hand.

Quatre found himself taking hold of the glass out of astonishment more than anything. "But.. They told you everything, right?"

Zechs nodded calmly as he lightly swirled the liquor in his glass. "I trust you to know your limits."

The first three words of the sentence were enough to make Quatre's heart pound. When was the last time anyone stated that they trusted him in any sense? He stared at the glass in his hand for a moment longer before he raised it to his lips. That familiar burn that traveled down his throat made a tingle shoot from his head to his toes. After another sip he felt a warmth settle into the pit of his chest and rise to his face. It didn't take much to make him feel flushed, but, if he set his mind to it, he could drink nearly anyone under the table. After his failed attempt to end it, he hadn't touched a single drop in fear that he may make another attempt.

Standing there with Zechs by his side, he didn't have that fear hanging over him anymore. "I never told anyone the real reason why I tried to kill myself." he whispered before taking another sip.

Zechs was silent for a moment, but didn't look towards his companion. "You don't have to tell now."

"I know." Quatre tilted the tumbler back and forth, watching the way the dark liquid rolled from side to side. "It wasn't because Davin died. If it had merely been an accident, I would have still been devastated... But I wouldn't have deteriorated to such a desperate state." He paused to take another sip and let out a long slow breath. "I can accept the fact he's gone. What ripped me apart was the fact he died alone thinking that I hated him."

Zechs felt his chest clench, but said nothing. Quatre was opening up on his own. He had to finish at his own pace. But when Quatre stepped forward and placed the quarter full glass on the bench he couldn't stop the little smile of pride that twitched onto his lips.

Quatre stepped away from the bench and looked towards the rain still pelting the glass. "Davin made the decision that he would rather take his own life than go on thinking that I hated him. I felt guilty. I realized that if that had been me that said whatever my sisters told him, he would have done the same thing."

He wanted to protest, but Zechs knew that this was what Quatre was set on believing. So he kept silent and took note of the protective way Quatre wrapped his arms around himself.

The silence that answered him made Quatre relax even further. The crushing weight was slowly crumbling away. He just needed to keep to his own pace. "I felt like I was the one that shoved Davin in front of the car. It got to the point I dreamt of it. I could see myself shoving him right in front of that car... Over and over..." His head bowed low as he took a deep shuddering breath. "I couldn't take seeing it anymore. Found some old pain killers that were his, and I was thrilled that I was going to use something that belonged to him. Something that had his name on it. A twisted part of me thought of it as granting him vengeance."

More silence. But Quatre was thrilled. He finally said it. Finally told someone the real depth of the pain he had locked away.

He had a moment to bask in this sense of relief before something wrapped around him and he was pulled back against a solid warmth. When he lifted his head the first thing he saw was another glass resting next to his on the bench. His eyes then flickered down to the strong arms embracing him. "Zechs..."

"Shh.." Zechs hissed softly into Quatre's ear. He was pleased when the rigid frame smoothly relaxed into his arms within a few seconds. A pair of hands settled onto his forearms, and he smiled when they began stroking them slowly. The warmth he felt pressed against the Arabian's towel covered back was overpowering the effects of the bourbon. The closeness was comfortable. It seemed natural like the easy way they lived together in silence.

It was inspiring. "Lucrezia was seeing another man behind my back. That's why I returned."

Quatre lightly gripped the arms wrapped around him and frowned. "Zechs.. You don't have to..."

"I know." Zechs mumbled while gently nuzzling Quatre's ear. "She became demanding. Impatient. She got fed up with my silence. I tried to tell her that I wasn't capable of what she was wanting, but she continued to insist that I could change. One day she would seem fine with everything. The next she would rant about how insensitive I was being to her." Quatre said nothing, but he could feel those hands grip a bit tighter at his arms.

It made him relax as well. "When she fixated on it I would ask her why was she with me if I only made her miserable. She would immediately backpedal. Try to placate me so we would makeup. I thought she was sincere, so I always went with it. Each time she said that she would try to be more understanding."

Confessing this was surprisingly easier than he though it would be. Quatre was granting him the same time to get things out at his own pace, but his hands resumed their gentle path up and down his arms. Instead of distracting, it was soothing. It made the words flow easier. "Suddenly things seemed better. She seemed more relaxed. Playful. But then I noticed the others we worked with on the terra forming project watching me and whispering when they thought I wasn't aware. Didn't bother me at first, but then they seemed to be passively targeting me. Started with little things, like my office being picked through. Then they started being cold towards me. Escalating into an all out hostility."

The glass showed him Quatre's reflection frowning in concern, but the hands didn't stop moving. "Finally I was confronted by some of the construction workers and they attempted to start a fight with me. Needless to say, they weren't much of a challenge." He heard an amused snort from the younger blonde, but nothing else. "I coaxed one of them to tell me what the hell was going on. Turned out that Lucrezia was spreading rumors that I was abusing her. I never bothered to ask what sort of abuse. I was too furious to even think straight. I left work immediately after that to go back to our apartment. Noticed clothes I hadn't seen before scatted all over the livingroom. I stormed straight to the bedroom and kicked the door down."

He tightened his arms around the younger blonde when the memory filled his head. "It was one of the contractors that we had been working with for months. Lucrezia seemed scared at first, but then she suddenly had this smug look on her face. Like I deserved it..."

Those hands gripped at his arms again when he trailed off. Comforting him. Keeping him grounded. The gesture nearly overwhelmed him as he buried his face into the damp hair. "I came so close to losing it... But I just turned around and left. Grabbed some of my clothes that were in a laundry basket in the livingroom. Tossed some of my books into a box and left the rest there. Hopped on the first shuttle leaving, then wandered aimlessly until I ended up back here."

Suddenly it was over. All the bitterness and anger he had been stewing in for two months was now just an exasperating memory. That warmth he felt from his companion seemed to fill in the void the anger left behind. It all happened so easily that he could barely believe it.

His revelation was disrupted when Quatre pulled out of his arms. He watched the Arabian turn to face him, and was surprised when Quatre closed the space between them by wrapping his arms around his broader shoulders. The motion made the towel fall to the floor, but it went unnoticed when their bare chests were pressed together. The feel of skin against heated skin made their eyes lock for a moment.

Lightning streaked across the dark sky, lighting up their faces for less than a second. In that split moment something seemed to click into place. When the light faded, Quatre leaned in to whisper into Zechs' ear. "I need someone to hold onto, Zechs. I want it to be you."

Zechs felt a chill from the hot breath caressing his ear, but he carefully wrapped his arms around Quatre's waist. He gently nuzzled his cheek against the one pressed against it and held the warm body in his arms tight. "I'll hold on if you do."

The only answer he received was the arms tightening around his shoulders as the thunder rumbled faintly in the distance.

It was more than enough.

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TBC

All it takes is one person.

Later~


	5. A good cuddle

A good storm clears the skies for tomorrow.

Enjoy~

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Chapter 5

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Groaning softly, Zechs curled himself tighter against the warmth that was pressed against him. He could feel himself waking, but he tried to bury his face against the silky substance that was tickling his face. His weak attempt at hiding from consciousness didn't really work, but he enjoyed the scent coming from the soft thread like substance that felt cool against his skin. He filled his lungs deeply with the sweet smell and moaned softly on his exhale.

He could feel his body relaxing as he pulled the warmth closer. When the warmth seemed to wrap around him as well, he was content. A smile twitched onto his lips as his eyes slowly cracked open. The first thing he noticed was the light that filtered through the gaps in the curtains on the other side of the room. The second was the mass of corn silk his face was buried in.

"Awake?" a whispering voice asked as the warmth clung to him tighter.

He was tempted to fake sleep, but decided against it. "Yeah. What time is it?" Zechs asked as his eyes slipped closed.

"Does it matter?"

The question had Zechs chuckling softly. "No. It doesn't." He ran his hands down the smooth back of his companion and relished the happy little sigh it caused. He felt fingertips tracing random patterns along an old scar on his right side that made him squirm faintly.

"You're ticklish." that giggling voice stated.

The attack on his side continued with a purposeful edge, causing Zechs to snort and squirm more. "Yes, now stop that. I'm too comfortable right now." he growled, but there was no force behind his words.

Another giggling breath brushed against his chest before the blonde head lifted. Soon he was looking into aqua colored eyes that seemed to sparkle with amusement. "Sleep well?"

Zechs smiled and lifted his hand to caress the pale face inches from his own. "Yes." He didn't need to return the question. He could tell from the warm smile on Quatre's face that he was feeling the same. "You make little sighing noises when you breathe out."

Quatre quirked up a brow at the strange observation. "I do?"

"Yeah." Zechs gave a soft smirk. "I liked it."

"Heh, I guess it's better than snoring." Quatre mused, mirroring the smirk. "You are a very possessive cuddler. You had me locked up and pinned to the bed."

It was Zechs' turn to raise a brow. "I did?"

Without answering, Quatre tugged back the red sheets to show his left leg locked up between both of Zechs'. "Made me think you were worried I was going to sneak away." he teased on a soft purr.

Seeing his legs tangled so intimately with the younger man's made a slight blush tint Zechs' cheeks. "Sorry.." he muttered, thankful that they were both still wearing their boxers. He tried to remove his legs, but was startled when the other pair of legs locked tighter around his. His eyes widened when the action pressed the only clothed part of their bodies tighter together. "Q.. Quatre.."

Quatre gave a soft hum and inched his way closer to his companion's face. "Shh.. I don't mind..." He let his eyes slide shut the moment he ghosted his lips over Zechs'. "I like being pinned by you."

Zechs was certain his heart had exploded the moment he felt the contact. He had never been intimate with another man before, but that suddenly didn't seem to matter as his eyes closed. He leaned in further to seal the kiss, and promptly had his breath stolen away.

Nips and teasing licks tortured his lips until he was left gasping, but no move was made for more. Realizing that Quatre wasn't going to demand too much too soon made him relax into the touches. He began returning the attention as his hands wandered along the soft skin of his companion's back.

Just as they began exploring, the shrill ringing of the apartment phone line cut through the silence.

Zechs gave a frustrated growl at the intrusion on their moment, but Quatre giggled while pulling away. "You answer it." he mumbled before trailing kisses down the strong jaw.

He wanted to glare at the Arabian, but the teasing lick that trailed along his ear combined with the annoying ring made him grumble loudly. "Bastard.." he grunted, moving towards the night stand next to Quatre's bed for the silver cordless phone that was taunting him.

"What?" he nearly snarled into the phone when he finally answered it. Trying to ignore the breathy giggle against his ear.

-"Well that was a lovely greeting. Sounds like you had a long night."- Sally's voice answered.

Zechs had to bite back a groan when Quatre nipped at a sensitive place just below his ear. "You have no idea..."

-"At least I know where you are now. I've been trying to call you and Quatre for two hours. What's the deal?"-

At first Zechs was confused, but then he remembered. His cell phone was in his room. Quatre's was resting on the kitchen table. He remembered turning them both off. "Nothing. We're both fine. Power went out last night. Guess our phones didn't have enough of a charge to last through the night." He swatted lightly at Quatre when he heard a snort of amusement coming from his collarbone.

-"I see.. Does that mean Quatre's still there too?"-

"Yes he's still her-ack! Will you quit that?!" he snapped, only to bite at his lower lip when Quatre licked at his right nipple again.

-"Zechs? Who's that giggling?"-

Before Zechs could answer, Quatre swiped the phone from him. "Morning, Sally." he seemed to chirp.

-"Quatre?"- came the woman's startled reply.

"Sure is. What's up?" Quatre asked casually as he made himself comfortable atop Zechs' chest. He smirked at the light glare that was fixed on him.

There was a pause on the line, and he could clearly hear other familiar voices in the background. -"Well, for one thing, it's past noon."-

That made Quatre blink in surprise. "Really?"

-"Yeah. You and Zechs were supposed to be here three hours ago. What happened?"-

Quatre could hear the concern in her voice, but one look at pale eyes watching him made a warm smile curl his lips. "Nothing. Power outage must have knocked out my alarm clock. We woke up just a few minutes ago."

Another long pause. -"Did you just say 'we woke up'?"-

"Yes, I did." Suddenly an idea struck him that had him grinning wide. "Hey, Sally, I think I'm going to cash in on one of those personal days you offered me. Don't bother expecting Zechs either. And tell Duo if he attempts to barge in today I'll throw him out the window. See you tomorrow. Bye." He immediately pressed the end call button, then carelessly chucked the phone over his shoulder.

Zechs watched speechlessly as the phone crashed against the large closet doors across the room. As it clattered to the floor in pieces, he glanced back at the near glowing face watching him. He quirked up a brow high, but his lips twitched upwards. "Subtle."

Quatre smirked as he traced the line of the other's jaw with his index finger. "I know."

Shaking his head for a moment, Zechs let out a deep breath and took hold of the hand near his face. He let their fingers lace together, and he marveled over their matching skin tones. Part of him couldn't believe he was in such a situation, but he knew what he was feeling. "Quatre... I'm not that good at expressing myself under normal circumstances. This is new to me, so I'm even more at a disadvantage."

The Arabian easily got the gist. "Never been intimate with another man before?" he asked calmly. When Zechs shook his head Quatre hummed softly as he tightened his grip on the larger hand. "Don't worry about it."

Zechs frowned slightly, but when he was about to speak his lips were caught by a gentle kiss. It startled him, but he soon relaxed. He wrapped his free arm around the slender body atop him and enjoyed the warmth that seemed to take over his senses. This amount of closeness was something he was comfortable with. Simple and gentle contact that wasn't dominating or needy. It was tender. Honest.

Quatre slowly pulled away from the kiss and playfully let their noses nuzzle together. "I know you're probably not ready for happy shower time, but how 'bout a nice long soak in the hot tub?"

The thought of being totally naked together was a bit intimidating, but Zechs trusted Quatre. "That sounds nice."

The answer had Quatre placing a soft kiss to the tip of the older blonde's nose and smiling brightly. "I'll go get the tub ready. Can I have my leg back now?"

Realizing that he still had a possessive hold on the left leg, Zechs blushed slightly and tried to untangle them. Quatre gave another giggle and kissed him on the cheek before rolling off the bed. Zechs watched silently as the graceful body stretched for a moment then seemed to glide out of the bedroom. The moment the Arabian was gone Zechs pulled a pillow over his face and tried to stop the thoughts swarming his head. He wanted this. There was no doubt about that, but he felt so inexperienced that it was laughable.

'_The mechanics are the same... But after everything.. I don't want to disappoint him.'_ After the confessions that were made in the middle of the night, anything short of perfection seemed so inadequate. It was silly to think like that, but he truly felt something in the pit of his chest every second they held one another. Something that made him want drag Quatre back into bed and just hold on until the world came crashing down around them. It awed and terrified him. To know that Quatre had become that vital to him now.

It wasn't love. It was far too soon to even humor that. _'But it could be eventually...' _

Zechs shook his head at the uncharacteristic romanticism. What he felt now was much more basic. Kinship. Understanding. Trust. Comfort. They were seeking comfort from one another. Anything else would have to wait until the wounds they were nursing healed. _'For now we can help one another heal..'_

Feeling a bit more confident now that he knew what to label the change in their relationship, Zechs pulled the pillow off of his head and climbed out of the bed. He looked over the ridiculously comfortable king sized bed and made a note to himself that more nights had to be spent tangled up in the middle of it.

Knowing that he had pinned Quatre in such a intimate way was a bit embarrassing, but it made him feel good. Their bodies had meshed so comfortably that he didn't even notice. It felt natural to be that close. _'Just like the silence.'_

It made him smile to think that more mornings could be spent like this. _'Wonder if other things will be as nice..' _

With that curious thought in his mind, he crossed the spacious bedroom and stepped out into the hall. The bathroom door was opened a crack, but he couldn't hear the sound of the water running. He slipped inside the door, and immediately spotted Quatre already relaxing back in the filled tub. The way his head craned back over the rounded edge of the tub gave him a perfect view of the long pale throat. It was a tempting sight, but what really caught Zechs' attention was that Quatre's eyes were closed.

'_He's letting me do this at my own pace...'_ He had been a bit anxious about shedding the last bit of clothing in front of the Arabian, but Quatre was granting him a way around the awkward situation. That made Zechs smile as he finally pushed his boxers down his hips.

He kicked the black fabric aside and walked easily to the hot tub. A curious dip of his hand into the water told him it was a nice hot temperature. He could already feel a faint steam rising from the rippling water, and saw the skin around where the water met Quatre's shoulder turning a faint pink.

He took a moment to admire how peaceful Quatre looked at that moment, then decided he had stalled long enough. He carefully stepped into the tub and gave a soft hiss as he sank into the hot water. Settling onto a seat that was molded into the tub, Zechs let a quiet groan as the heat seeped into the sleep stiffened body. His eyes slid shut for a moment as he let himself adjust to the water temperature. Once the faint prickles of heat subsided, his eyes cracked open and glanced towards his companion. Quatre had yet to move or speak, so he took that as a sign that he was to decide the context of this moment.

It was perfectly reasonable for him to simply stay put. To just enjoy a soak in the hot tub with no other contact between them. _'But that's not what I want..'_

Without a second thought, Zechs moved across the tub to where Quatre was resting. The moment he settled himself beside Quatre, the younger blonde readily leaned gently against him. The contact only made him want more, so Zechs wrapped his arms around the slender body and pulled it to his chest. Quatre easily settled against his chest without opening his eyes, which pleased Zechs to no end.

As their legs tangled together comfortably under the water, Zechs gave a soft hum when a thought crossed his mind. "Hm... This poses a slight problem."

Quatre kept his eyes closed as he nestled closer to the firm body. "What's that?"

A smirk curled Zechs' lips as he whispered into Quatre's ear. "If things continue at this rate, you're going to have an empty spare bedroom again."

A soft chuckle escaped Quatre at the subtle suggestion. "A sacrifice I'm willing to make for a good cuddle."

When the arms held tighter Zechs was chuckling as well.

They settled into another comfortable silence.

Both enjoying how right it felt.

_fjfjfjfjfjfjfjfj_

TBC

What would you sacrifice for a good cuddle?

Later~


	6. Feels right

The morning after is the real beginning.

Enjoy~

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Chapter 6

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"So what do you think happened yesterday between those two?" Duo asked his three comrades as they wandered through the corridors towards one of the many Preventers HQ conference rooms.

"It's none of our business, Maxwell." Wufei reminded him dryly while lightly elbowing him in the side.

Ignoring the American's whining over the abuse, Trowa took a look at his wristwatch. "Whatever happened, it apparently spilt over into today. They're late again."

"Let them be." Heero calmly cut in. "The details are unimportant. Sally said he sounded happy." he concluded as they reached the opened doors of the conference room.

Thinking of his best friend finally happy once more made Duo perk up. "You're right, Hee. I'm just a little wounded that he threatened to defenestrate me." he muttered with a pout.

"You get two points for the creative word usage." Sally's voice laughed from inside the conference room.

Once they entered they saw the woman doctor sitting casually on the end of the long conference table. "Hey, Sal. Think they'll get here today?" Duo asked with a suggestive grin.

Sally smirked wide and nodded. "Yes. Quatre just called about ten minutes ago saying they were half way here. Something about Zechs not liking alarm clocks made them a bit late."

"Not liking alarm clocks?" Wufei repeated with a raised brow. "What does that mean?"

"I tend to smash them against a wall."

Everyone turned to see Zechs walking in with his hands stuffed deep into his uniform jacket's pockets. Nothing seemed different about the blonde man. His normal neutral expression was in place, and there was no unusual limp in his stride. So no helpful hint to what may have occurred the day before.

Which disappointed Duo greatly. "Not a morning person, huh?" he asked with a teasing grin.

But Zechs wasn't going to be baited. "I'm not a jolted awake by an annoying blaring buzz person. However I will admit to going a bit too far. I'm going to have to fix a small dent in the wall this evening." the blonde man stated calmly.

To which Sally promptly snorted. "Whatever. Quatre told me you knocked a hole in the wall."

"Hn, semantics." Zechs muttered as he moved to the conference table.

"So where is Quatre?" Trowa questioned as he and the others sat down at the table.

Zechs gave a slight shrug. "Une pulled him away for a moment to talk to him. He should be here shortly." He folded his hands on the table casually, but it took a significant effort not to smirk at the not so subtle stares he was receiving from the others. He knew they were probably trying to figure out just what had occurred the previous day. Zechs was enjoying letting their frustration build by keeping decidedly silent.

Finally Duo couldn't take it. "Oh come on! Just a little hint! You don't even look like you scored!" he blurted out, slamming his fists on the table in his desperation.

Wincing at the horrible lack of tact, Wufei promptly swatted the back of Duo's head. "You idiot! It's none of our business!" he hissed sharply.

Duo clutched the back of his head and glared daggers at his Chinese comrade. "What the hell ever, Wu! You were just as curious! Don't play this off as just me being nosey!"

"How dare you!?" Wufei growled before the two of them immediately began bickering.

As the two threw one verbal jab after another, Trowa and Heero were making a good effort at pretending the arguing pair didn't exist. After a good minute of listening to them insult one another, Trowa heaved a deep sigh and gave a faint apologetic glance towards the blonde. "Don't pay attention to them. Whatever happened, we're glad the two of you are well." he stated quietly.

Zechs caught Heero's approving nod and Sally's smile, but responded with a slight shrug. "Sorry to disappoint you, but we didn't professed undying love to one another. Nothing really happened at all."

Stopping mid rant with Wufei, Duo snapped his attention back towards the blonde man. "Nothing? Why the hell were you guys no shows yesterday if you didn't do anything good? Ow! Wu! Stop hitting me!" Duo yelped while ducking another swat.

"No. You are a crass mentally challenged idiot." Wufei snorted in disgust.

"I'll tell you, if you really want to know."

Duo snapped his attention to the blonde man, his eyes wide with anticipation. "Tell me!"

A slow smirk curled Zechs' lips when he noticed that he had everyone's full attention. To draw out their curiosity, leaned slightly onto the table and propped his chin on his fist in a casual pose. "We woke up. Got dressed. Went into the livingroom. Got on the couch. Fell asleep."

When nothing else was added, Duo felt his jaw drop. "That's it? You slept on the couch all day and did nothing?" When Zechs only answered with a little shrug, Duo felt his eye twitch. "Dammit, that's such a rip off. I was expecting raunchy details!"

"You were hoping for raunchy details." Sally corrected with a grin.

"Whatever." Duo placed a glare on the older man and pointed at him in irritation. "Your boringness better not rub off on my best friend, pal. Or I'm kicking your ass."

The threat made Zechs quirk up a brow, but he made no other move. "Should I apologize for not being a sickeningly romantic Casanova?" he asked sarcastically.

Before anyone could answer, the sound of musical laughter came from the opened doors. "I would probably have to shoot you if you ever became one, Zechs."

Zechs glanced towards the doorway and smirked wide. "Shoot to maim, I hope."

"Of course." At that moment the Arabian stepped into the doorway and smiled brightly. "I plan on keeping you around." he added while stuffing his hands into the pockets of a brand new Preventers jacket.

Everyone's eyes widened on seeing the uniform jacket, and Duo immediately leapt from his chair. "Q-man! You joined?!" he asked in excitement.

Quatre chuckled happily and gave a firm nod. "Une made it official. I've been permanently assigned to this team."

With a joyous cheer, Duo bounded towards his best friend and locked him up in a tight bear hug. "That's so awesome!" When he felt his friend return his hug Duo felt his eyes threaten to sting with tears. _'He's back.. He's finally back..'_ he thought with overwhelming relief.

Once Duo finally let him go, Quatre barely had a chance to breathe before Sally had him locked up in another hug. "Welcome back, Quatre.." she whispered into his ear before placing a soft kiss to his cheek.

The sentiment was unexpected, but a glance towards the conference table showed Quatre the pleased smiles that were on the faces of his three more reserved comrades. His eyes then glanced towards the older blonde. Zechs' chin was still propped on his fist, and when their eyes locked the pale blue ones gave him a sly wink. Seeing the flirting gesture made a pleased smirk tug onto Quatre's lips.

The moment Sally pulled away Quatre raised his hands to stop any other words they were wanting express. "Thanks, everyone. I really appreciate it, but Une sent me with our newest assignment. And it's really time sensitive. We should get to work on it immediately."

Sobering quickly, the group got their minds focused on task. "What sort of assignment is it?" Heero readily asked.

"It's a rescue mission. We have to infiltrate a location and take control of the situation in order to stop the suffering of a group of people." Quatre explained calmly.

Finding the description a bit vague, Wufei frowned slightly. "What location?"

The Arabian seem to smirk wide as he reached into his new jacket's pocket and pulled out a set of keys. "We have two hours." he stated while tossing the keys to Duo.

Duo easily caught the keys, but when he examined them a look of confusion fell over his face. "Wait.. These are the keys to the cafeteria kitchen..."

Quatre folded his arms over his chest as a mischievous look fell over his pale face. "Exactly. Who feels like liberating our coworkers from lunch?"

It took Duo a second to get it, but his eyes were soon wide as a maniacal grin plastered itself on his face. "I'm in! That kitchen will be my bitch! Muahaha!!" he cackled, holding up the keys like a gleaming trophy.

"Fantastic. Now for the plan. "Quatre pointed towards Sally. "Sally, you and Wufei are on diversion detail. The kitchen staff is going over inventory reports in the small conference room on the ground floor. Keep them busy. Be creative."

Sally was laughing at the instructions and gave a salute. "Yes, Sir. Come on, Wufei. We need a fire extinguisher, a permanent black marker, and a box of latex gloves!" she listed while going to the table and dragging the Chinese man to his feet.

Although the list made his eyebrows hitch up high, Wufei only smirked and followed the woman out of the room. "May I suggest making use of that box of foam packing peanuts in the mail room?"

"Oh, that's a nice touch. I'll get the gloves and marker. You get the extinguisher and the packing peanuts." Sally instructed as they stepped out the door.

Once they were out, Quatre returned his attention to the three still at the table. "You three are on guard duty. No one gets into the kitchen or cafeteria until everything is ready. Got it?"

The three glanced towards one another briefly before they all stood. "Got it." Heero stated in his same serious tone. Although anyone that was looking hard enough could see the tiny smile that was pulling across his lips. _'This is how things are supposed to be.'_ he thought confidently.

Quatre turned towards his best friend and gestured to the door. "Let's go, Chef Maxwell. We have a lot of cooking to do."

Thrilled that his friend said 'we', Duo laughed excitedly and raced out the door. He didn't have to look to know that Quatre was running right by his side. _'Just like old times... Thank you, Zechs.. Thank you..'_

_fjfjfjfj_

Locked away inside the cafeteria, Heero and Trowa were finishing chaining up all the doors.

Excessive? Probably.

Amusing? Definitely.

So far the building was in complete chaos as Wufei and Sally rampaged through the building. What exactly they were doing, they had no idea. However they heard several screams and laughter followed by the harsh roar of a fire extinguisher being discharged. In the kitchen they could hear Duo randomly cackling and yelling for certain ingredients. Zechs was busy securing the doors in the kitchen.

So far it was a perfect take over.

After placing the last of the chains and locks on the doors, Trowa stood back and admired their quick work. "Not bad for a rush job. How much more time do we have to hold everyone off?"

Heero glanced towards the wall clock above the serving stations at the back of the large room. "We've got another hour before lunch. Wonder if Une is considering this a drill of some sort." he mused aloud.

"I suppose it could count as one. Or as a demonstration for the rest of the staff on how a infiltration mission is supposed to go." Trowa offered with a slight smirk.

The idea had Heero snorting in amusement. "That's a thought."

"The kitchen's locked up tight."

The pair glanced back to see Zechs approaching them from the swinging kitchen door next to the serving stations. "How are they doing back there?" Trowa asked only to wince when he heard a loud clattering sound of falling pans.

Zechs glanced back towards the kitchen doors with a raised brow, but his concerns were put at ease when Quatre promptly began laughing at a cursing Duo. "I'm pretty sure Duo's gone psychotic, but other than that they've gotten the majority of everything ready." He turned his attention towards the chains that were tying all of the double doors in the space together. "Where did you get the chains?"

"I always keep a stock pile of sturdy chains." Heero stated. When he received questioning looks from his two comrades he gave a shrug. "You never know when you'll need a good chain."

Unable to argue with that kind of logic, Trowa hummed while looking towards the wall clock. "We've only had a few people try to get in, but whatever Sally and Wufei are doing seems to be scaring people off."

Recalling hearing Sally's laughter a few minutes ago, Zechs gave a low chuckle. "They seem to be having fun. I had someone that sounded like Une demanding to be let in through the back entrance in the kitchen. Said if I didn't that I would be fired."

"What if it was Une?" Trowa questioned with a tilt of his head.

Zechs snorted and perched himself on a table. "Quatre told me to let no one in. No one gets in." he concluded flatly.

Unable to stop himself, Trowa gave a laugh . "Heh... This is going to be a very interesting lunch..." He trailed off to glance briefly at Heero. When the Japanese man locked with his gaze they shared a brief nod before focusing on the blonde. "Zechs. We'd like to thank you."

The sudden statement was odd, but Zechs was intrigued. "For what?"

Heero gestured towards the kitchen. "For helping Quatre find his way back. We have no interest in prying, but whatever you did was enough to get him back to more of his old self."

The gratitude wasn't something Zechs was used to. The way everyone seemed to come to life now that Quatre was smiling was a curious thing, but some how he understood. "He's stronger than you really give him credit for. Quatre found his way back on his own."

"You helped him find the way." Trowa cut in calmly. "You may not know how, but you were able to grant him something we couldn't."

It made Zechs frown how they were crediting him with Quatre's miraculous recovery, but it made him think of a question that had entered his mind the day before. "So none of you are concerned that I may be a substitute for Davin?"

The question had both of them snorting and immediately shaking their heads. "Of course not." Heero stated without hesitation.

Trowa gave another hum and reached into his back pocket for his wallet. "You are nothing like Davin. That's what surprised us the most when Quatre began getting closer to you." He opened up his wallet and pulled out a photo. After glancing at it for a moment he smiled and held it out to the blonde. "Davin was the definition of a social butterfly. He could easily talk and joke with anyone. He would get excited over the simplest things, and was absolutely gooey when he did something romantic for Quatre."

Zechs took hold of the picture and looked at it. In it he saw Duo and Trowa sitting on a park bench next Quatre and another man he had never seen before. He was almost petite with shaggy black hair and caramel colored eyes. A bright grin was on his delicate tan face as he hugged Quatre to him close. _'He was beautiful..' _He could tell Quatre was infatuated with the man by the way he held him so lovingly. There was a gentle smile on his face and in his eyes that he was able to get a glimpse of the day before. He liked that smile.

After a moment of silently committing the man's face to his memory, Zechs handed back the picture. "Sounds like he was a bit more like Duo."

"Exactly." Heero readily agreed. "We thought, if anyone, he would go to Duo for support since he is his best friend. However that seemed to have an adverse affect. I suppose Duo just reminded him more of Davin, so he shrank back. Kept Duo and the rest of us at a distance."

"Sally thinks it's because he could only remember all the things he had done with Davin around all of us." Trowa added as he replaced the picture in his wallet. "That's why he went to you. He didn't have to be reminded of him at every second around you because you had never met Davin. Never shared any experiences with them."

"In short, you were a safe place. Someone he knew he could trust without reminding him constantly of Davin." Heero concluded.

Zechs took in this new information carefully. It made sense. _'Quatre was able to give himself time to heal around me because I never brought it up. Because I allowed him to take his time.. And he did the same for me.' _It made a slight smile form now that everything fit together. "We helped each other, really. I was going through something unpleasant as well. Got to the point where we trusted one another to talk it through. Things simply seemed to clear up after that." he explained as best he could. Neglecting to mention the part about the cuddling and the hot tub. _'Can't give away everything.'_

"Then that's all it took." Trowa said with a nod. Suddenly a strange gleam shone in his visible eye as he calmly placed a hand on Zechs' shoulder. "However, you do realize that, if you hurt him, we'll have to kill you. Correct, Heero?"

A wide smirk pulled at Heero's lips as he folded his arms over his chest. "Indeed."

Zechs quirked up an eyebrow at the threat, but smirked in return. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Damn, guys. You go right for the throat."

Glancing back towards the kitchen, they saw Quatre walking towards them with a highly amused expression on his flour smudged face. His new jacket was missing, but he had flour streaks all over his black jeans and dark blue shirt. The way he was moving with such a careless grace was a bit stunning. He was confident. Sure. Himself.

The three watching couldn't have been happier. "Well, you know we can't just let you run off with anyone." Trowa stated in what could be considered a strange impression of a fatherly tone.

"We were merely stating facts." Heero added with resolute nod.

Zechs gave an unimpressed look between the two before glancing back at the younger blonde. "Are they always going to be like this?"

Quatre gave a slight shrug. "Pretty much. It's like having four older brothers from hell." he mused as he came to a stop next to the table Zechs was seated on.

The older blonde's expression turned less than thrilled when he noticed the pleased little smirks of the two normally stoic men. "That's encouraging." Zechs muttered sarcastically.

"It's not that bad..." Quatre trailed off for a moment as a memory struck him. A laugh suddenly left him as he ran his hand through his flour dusted hair. "You should have seen the horrible things they put Davin through. Poor guy was scared out of his mind the first week."

Heero and Trowa suddenly froze when the name was spoken. An uneasy silence fell over them as they carefully watched the Arabian, but the smile was still on the pale face. It didn't waver. In fact it seemed to grow wider.

Quatre noticed their tension, and his expression readily softened. "It's okay. Really. Davin was a lively and highly outspoken guy. I don't think being all brooding and somber does any justice to his memory." he stated with that gentle smile.

On seeing the smile, both of them relaxed. "You're right, Quatre. As always." Trowa added with a small smirk.

The Arabian grinned and placed his hand to his own chest with a bit of a dramatic flare. "Naturally. Now could you two please help me tone Duo down? I think all the power has gone to his head in there." Quatre added while giving an uneasy glance back towards the kitchen.

There was a sudden 'Fwoomph!' noise soon followed by streams of smoke leaking through the cracks around the swinging kitchen door.

"Fuck yeah! Now THAT'S a flambe, bitches!! Muahahaha!!" Duo cackled near psychotically.

When more smoke began pouring through the cracks, both Trowa and Heero felt their eyes twitch. "Duo, you idiot! We're not supposed to burn the place down!" Heero growled as the two of them hurried towards the kitchen.

Zechs stared at the plume of smoke that flowed out as the growling pair pushed their way into the kitchen. Once he heard a distinct thwack and Duo's wining voice, he chuckled and shook his head. "Well, at least I wasn't assigned to a dull team." He turned towards the amused hum he heard and was looking up at Quatre's smudged face.

Without hesitating, he reached up and gently wiped away a streak of flour from Quatre's left cheek. "I don't remembering you getting this messy when you cooked back home." Zechs teased with a little smirk.

The teasing was a bit unexpected, but Quatre found himself liking the almost playful side that Zechs gave him a glimpse of occasionally. "Hm, there's a whole new level of involvement when Duo's playing head chef. If you're not covered with something by the time you're done, you didn't do it right." he explained while making a weak attempt to dust himself off.

When he only made a bigger mess of himself, Zechs chuckled and pulled him closer. "Don't bother. You look unfairly attractive all messy like that."

The chiding words combined with the loose embrace he was caught in made Quatre raise a brow. "Unfairly attractive?"

"Yes." Zechs had the younger blonde move in closer so he could steal a quick kiss. He noticed a vague hint of sugar on the warm lips, and it made him hum in approval. Pulling away, he smiled at the bemused look that was fixed on him. "I can tell I'm going to be driven to distraction a lot by you."

Quatre blinked for a moment, but he was soon giggling softly as he wrapped his arms around the older blonde's shoulders. "Good. Means I have your attention." He dove in for his own kiss, but turned it into a trail of kisses that led to Zechs' ear. "Don't worry about the others. If they didn't trust you, they wouldn't have told you." he murmured before gently nibbling on the soft lobe.

A little groan tried to escape, but Zechs managed to hold it at bay as he pulled Quatre closer to him. "I know. I don't mind it. Just going to take some getting used to."

The fact Zechs was being so understanding placed a great deal of Quatre's concerns to rest. He had briefly worried how well the normally isolated man would take to the way the others were involved with his life. So far none of it seemed to bother him, which only proved that Quatre was right in his choice.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Quatre was looking forward to his future. "Remind me later that we need to pick a day to get you stocked up on more things. Need to fill up that space I cleared for you." he thought aloud as his hands absently threaded through the long tresses.

Pleased that the word 'shopping' wasn't used, Zechs gave a faint nod. "I've been thinking.. Perhaps we could get a pool table and put it in the spare bedroom.." he suggested carefully.

The hesitance made Quatre chuckle as he pulled back. He cupped the older man's face in his hands and smiled brightly. "Game room?"

The improvement to his idea made Zechs smirk. "Sounds like a project."

"We can plan it out later." Quatre let his hands down to rest on Zechs' thighs as a devious look formed on his pale face. "There's a very comfortable couch in my new office... And I haven't given out the access code I chose for the lock yet.."

Zechs snorted in amusement at the silent offer. "Subtle."

"I thought so. After lunch?" Quatre seemed to purr as he gently ran his hands along the jean clad thighs.

"After lunch." Placing his hand at the nape of Quatre's neck, Zechs pulled in him for another kiss.

As their lips locked together with a now practiced ease, Zechs found himself at a new chapter of his life. All his troubles seemed insignificant. All the bad memories were faded. Unimportant

He had no clue where this would lead. If this strange intense spark between him and the Arabian would last. He wasn't even sure if he finally managed to beat that bastard called happiness into submission.

Only one thought went through his head as Quatre's arms wrapped tightly around him.

'_This silence... Feels right.'_

_fjfjfjfjThe Endfjfjfjfj_

There you have it.

I've humored the idea of writing an epilogue, but you'll have to tell me.

If enough people tell me to, I'll do it.

However don't expect one of those smut filled ones.

If I write an epilogue, it'll be to tie up the remaining loose end.

Noin.

_*Dunn dunn dunn!*_

Haha

Later~


End file.
